Female Shredderz

dazza · Post by **dazza** » 01 Oct 2004 12:38

When i joined munich-footbag, i was
surprised and delighted to find a girl
within our ranks !
And yes, she's playing way better then me

IMO, there should be more female players,
what are your experiences and thougts on
this topic ?

mosher · Post by **mosher** » 01 Oct 2004 12:43

Lately I have been feeling bitter towards girls.

It seems like guys do all the cool stuff in life. I know that comment will piss girls off. Thats not the intent. There are lots of interesting girls, for example the ones that play footbag, or knit, or compete at scrabble. Whatever it may be I wish that some girls did more stuff.

Last night at the bar I found a good way to tell the good ones from the boring ones, I would ask them straight up "So, do you do stuff or are you boring?"

That either got a fun conversation going or the girl would be boring.

I wish more girls played footbag, it's a dream of mine to have a footbag girlfriend one day.

SlashC · Post by **SlashC** » 01 Oct 2004 15:36

My friend Brittany plays footbag. She has pink and white lavers and a mr. sandbag. It wasn't really all that hard to get her interested in it. My friend Geoff and I would play quite a bit during lunches at highschool and sometimes she would watch. Eventually (maybe out of curiousity?) she started playing with us just in socks. She hit a bunch of toe stalls first time without even having touched a footbag before. We gave her mad props. After that she was hooked. Eventually, I set her up with a mr. sandbag and helped her find the lavers on ebay. That really helped her progress a lot. She's hit a lot of the tiltless moves now and has even done some dragons, which she some how finds easier than clippers.

I recently ordered her a pink and white mr. sandbag to match her shoes.

I think as with either gender there has to be a certain mentality... or temperment to get that initial interest in footbag. A lot of people just shrug it off without really understand what it is. Females may also be initially turned off because they only see guys playing...

I also think it's important that the potential shreddee decide on their own to play freestyle. I don't like trying to force people to play. Often that just results in them having a negative attitude towards footbag from the get go. I think it's best just to provide oppurtunities to play and while playing show them how fun it really is. (i.e props/jokes/4square/hitting new tricks, ect).

Moxie · Post by **Moxie** » 06 Oct 2004 09:17

mosher wrote:I wish more girls played footbag, it's a dream of mine to have a footbag girlfriend one day.

Are there any guys here who don't feel that way? (not being sarcastic)

millenniumtree · Post by **millenniumtree** » 06 Oct 2004 09:36

Well, I'm married, and some others are. Sure I wish my wife was into footbag, but she's got bad ankles and tendons, so she probably could never do it.

I think everyone wishes their partners were interested in the same things they are.

Having a permanent shred partner would be the best! :)

steeban · Post by **steeban** » 06 Oct 2004 10:53

Moxie wrote:
mosher wrote:I wish more girls played footbag, it's a dream of mine to have a footbag girlfriend one day.
Are there any guys here who don't feel that way? (not being sarcastic)

Sure it'd be nice if more girls played footbag. I try to get my girlfriend to play all the time, but she just isn't that interested in it. she supports the game like crazy though... one day she came home and said 'i heard you hit smoke today!' i was like 'wtf?!?!' sometimes she calls out tricks as im shredding. having a girlfriend that shreds is a dream of mine, like many others. the only bad thing that could come out of it is if she shreds better than i do

ashleyd · Post by **ashleyd** » 06 Oct 2004 16:26

let me give you the low down. girls dont play it because...
1. the reputaion
2. its a sport that you have to sweat to play
3. its not known
4. too hard
5. arent patient enough.
6. rather be doing something else
7. they refuse to see it as anything other than "hackysack"

but dont let those reasons stop you from getting girls in the game. its not impossible. i mean, you say girls dont play it, but i know PLENTY of guys who dont know what the hell it is. and they apply to all the ablove reasons.

theres proably many more reasons...

mosher · Post by **mosher** » 06 Oct 2004 16:45

Hey Ashley,
Thanks for responding, I have been wondering for a while what were the actual reasons why girls don't seem to want to touch a footbag. well.. alot of my female friends touch my footbags and say they are cute but they don't want them on their feet.

It is intriguing to hear a reply from someone on the other side of the fence.

Do you have any more thoughts?

Or even, do you have any suggestions to get more girls into it?

Should I play with my shirt on or off in public? (I'm serious.) Because I have drawn in girls that came to oogle but they weren't too interested in the footbag aspect. So should I wear a veil (shirt) so as to not intimidate and also to only attract those interested in the goings onnery.

Your input is most necessary.

smpdustin15 · Post by **smpdustin15** » 06 Oct 2004 19:10

weve started playing in shirts to see if others will join us in are
footbag "crusade" mostly girls cause we have none here and i think
if you had a girl shreding with us maybe she could bring more girls
cause were to sexy so they dont notice the bag wink wink
but does shirts make us look more respectful maybe
or should i take it back off so its not im my way??

ps i think it help with control to leave it on tho imo

crazydwarf · Post by **crazydwarf** » 06 Oct 2004 20:42

Maybe if we could get some soccer girls to play, they probably wouldn't be too good on tricks, but they could get consecutives... and they wouldn't be afraid to get sweaty or anything hopefully. Just was thinking about how whenever I footbag people tell me I should play soccer, so maybe when people play soccer we should tell them they should footbag... us foot lovers got to stay together.

millenniumtree · Post by **millenniumtree** » 06 Oct 2004 20:51

I generally leave my shirt on when I'm around anyone but my wife... I just put the shirt into my shorts or pants so it's tight against my chest.

I don't know how girls feel about it, but I've had several guys say "geez, put your shirt on!" :P It's not like I'm hairy or anything... Maybe they just were put off by my glistening white chest. :P

I only take my shirt off if I'm REALLY skooling stuff hard, and I need the cooling.

Moxie · Post by **Moxie** » 06 Oct 2004 21:26

Ashleygrlshreder wrote:let me give you the low down. girls dont play it because...
1. the reputaion
2. its a sport that you have to sweat to play
3. its not known
4. too hard
5. arent patient enough.
6. rather be doing something else
7. they refuse to see it as anything other than "hackysack"

Ashleygrlshreder wrote:but dont let those reasons stop you from getting girls in the game. its not impossible. i mean, you say girls dont play it, but i know PLENTY of guys who dont know what the hell it is. and they apply to all the ablove reasons.

My thoughts on this:

1. I think to say that girls aren't patient enough is a huge generalization that I see no backing for.

2. You're right, you can say those exact same reasons about guys or girls. These things are important to keep in mind with anyone you're trying to recruit.

I believe that the most important thing when trying to get girls to play is to have them see girls playing. Because there aren't very many chick shredders this is difficult, but it is the most effective way to make it way less intimidating. I have found that I am much more capable of getting girls to actually try it than many guys are. Not because they're not as nice /personable, but because if someone thinks that a sport is strictly a guy/girl sport, they won't want to try it if they are a girl/guy.

When a girl sees footbag for the first time, or if she sees someone who's even moderately good at shredding repeatedly, it's way intimidating. But many new guys feel that way too. I think that the difference is that *most* girls aren't lucky enough to see girls shredding.

Plus something that I don't know if guys realize that they do:
When a girl is watching and you think she might possibly think about trying it, don't show off. You might get her attention, but you'll also scare her off.

But I do agree that many girls just walking by won't want to get sweaty or try something new where they feel that they will be embarrassed. Again, try to remember when you were starting: maybe I'm alone in this (I doubt it), but I remember that I thought when I was just starting (before I felt at all comfortable with any of the motions) that my friends were watching thinking that I sucked. Looking back on it now, it's totally silly. But I remember the feeling. Now imagine that, and not knowing the guys well enough to know that they're not judging you. It's way intimidating.

Feedback on this would be great,

max · Post by **max** » 07 Oct 2004 00:48

I wish more girls played footbag, it's a dream of mine to have a footbag girlfriend one day.

that's very over-rated.

ashleyd · Post by **ashleyd** » 07 Oct 2004 16:15

the only other thoughts i have are that everyone should promote it to girls if they want more girls to play. quit talking about it and ask girls to kick with you. and about the shirt thing, keep it on. some girls might find it intimidating or something... i dunno. i just think keep it on in public places.

Senor Grommet · Post by **Senor Grommet** » 07 Oct 2004 21:59

I just have to comment on this quickly:

Quote:
"Let me give you the low down. girls dont play it because...
1. the reputaion
2. ITS A SPORT THAT YOU HAVE TO SWEAT TO PLAY
3. its not known
4. TOO HARD
5. ARENT PATIENT ENOUGH
6. rather be doing something else
7. THEY REFUSE TO SEE IT AS ANYTHING OTHER THAN "HACKYSACK' "

OMG! I cant believe this! 2,4, 5, and 7 are such (IMO) bullshit and I can't believe these words came from the hands of a girl. Its as if you're putting your entire sex and your gender down. Do you actually believe 1 reason more women don't play is because they might sweat????? I guess you've never seen a girl working out at a gym? Running? Doing gymnastics? Playing Tennis? I forgot, those sports don't require sweating, only footbag does. ha. TOO HARD?? Please Women have climbed Everest. Kicking a footbag around is not "hard," just unnatural. I could go on, but I think Ive made my point. Ashley, you are simply fueling the fire of sex/gender stereotypes, but I'm sure you already know this.

[/b]

mc · Post by mc » 08 Oct 2004 03:59

I dunno, mirk... is it unfortunate? yes. but stereotypes exist for a reason. And even if they are without real foundation, people try to live up to the perceived stereotypes that they think apply to themselves because conformity is more comfortable.

of course, the kind of girls who fall into that stereotype are probably bland, boring, normal girls with nothing to do or say but conform to some kind of social prescription because they can't or haven't been taught how to be anything but some simple social concept that fits comfortably, quietly into their society.

and, as ashley said, guys don't play for these reasons as well. The bland, boring, normal guys. Me and Mosh were talking about this a few weeks ago. Footbag just isn't something for bland, boring, normal people. Think of footbag players in general. I think, by and large, we're smart free-thinkers. That's kind of a prerequisite in being involved with a sport or activity with no social precedent that requires a lot of effort and practice.

so let's not worry about attracting normal people to our sport, male or female. Footbag players aren't normal.

arg... I'm getting off topic... back to girls...

I've had two girls come into the Rochester Footbag Assoc, but they weren't into it. now, we play at RIT usually. Lots of girls walk by where we play and admire the technicality of what we're doing, and some stay and watch, but none of them have asked me or anyone else there for lessons. I think I'm gonna have someone in the RIT print shop make us a big sign that says "If you want to do this, YOU CAN. We will teach you", and just bring it around to sessions.

hm.... okay, how about this, to make this post actually worth something...

To the femalez out there who play footbag, what attracted you to it, what kept you attracted, what do you see as making footbag less attractive to women (besides that not enough do it), and what do you think we could do to make it more attractive to the kind of smart, creative, energetic women that we want to join us?

also. I wouldn't actively avoid a footbag playing girlfriend, per se, but I like to have my space in relationships, and I think it would weird me out being at a tournament...

hmmm... I was about to say that I'm not really down with a hacky girlfriend, but I just had a picture in my head of busting moves with some girl and giving props back and forth and having fun, and I changed my mind. I think a footbag girlfriend could be great, but it would be preferential that she be involved with footbag before we have a relationship, only because it would be more indicative of a higher level of interest and commitment, as opposed to doing something for fun because her boyfriend does it. I generally don't enjoy playing with people who are only moderately interested in footbag

(who can tell that I just woke up and drank my first cup of coffee of the day?)

let's hear from Ellis and Caro. They're both at the top of the game. Caro was into footbag for years before she and Ellis linked up. How does footbag fit into your relationship, guys?

Moxie · Post by **Moxie** » 08 Oct 2004 10:49

”and, as ashley said, guys don't play for these reasons as well. The bland, boring, normal guys…Footbag just isn't something for bland, boring, normal people. Think of footbag players in general. I think, by and large, we're smart free-thinkers. That's kind of a prerequisite in being involved with a sport or activity with no social precedent that requires a lot of effort and practice.”

It’s really nice to have reason to think that your type of people is smart and free-thinking, but everyone can give themselves reasons why their respective group is great. I know people who are boring who are into footbag. If I had met them before we had footbag in common, I probably never would have had reason to hang out with them again. Footbag is great because there is a lot of diversity (of types of minds). Just because you haven’t met or don’t pay attention to them, that doesn’t mean that bland people who like footbag don’t exist.

“so let's not worry about attracting normal people to our sport, male or female. Footbag players aren't normal.”

WORST IDEA EVER. This is not an elitest sport. We’re not strong enough to be. If you’re trying to get the word out about a sport or activity you have to try to make everyone aware. And depending on the day, and where I’m going, I look perfectly normal. Sometimes I look like one of those “bland, boring” people. You cannot judge someone by the way that they look and be correct all of the time. And you cannot eliminate a large percent of the people who might have interest in footbag. Yeah, a huge percentage won’t be interested in it, but we shouldn’t give up on the ones who might. Yes, footbag people aren’t normal, I’ve had conversations about this with friends. But to really think that you should be deciding what kind of people you want to introduce to the sport is a bad idea as a whole for the long term health of footbag.

”Lots of girls walk by where we play and admire the technicality of what we're doing, and some stay and watch, but none of them have asked me or anyone else there for lessons. I think I'm gonna have someone in the RIT print shop make us a big sign that says "If you want to do this, YOU CAN. We will teach you", and just bring it around to sessions.”

You should totally have a Free Lessons type of sign. It would lots of groups did that when they shredded in public. It would help with the guys and girls. …And how many guys have asked you if there are lessons, percentage wise?

“To the femalez out there who play footbag, what attracted you to it, what kept you attracted, what do you see as making footbag less attractive to women (besides that not enough do it), and what do you think we could do to make it more attractive to the kind of smart, creative, energetic women that we want to join us?”

My friend Tim Werner invited me to the beach with his friends. So I went and it turned out to be a CIC session. I tried a kicking some, but didn’t try it again for months. I think what really got me into it was meeting more and more people who did it, and the fact that my friends did it all of the time. If two people are doing something in front of you, you’ll either tell them that you’re bored and want to do something else, or you’ll want to try it. I was the type to want to try it.

One thing that I think that footbag people overlook often is the idea that most people on the street or walking by on campus or whatever are usually not willing to try anything that just a group of random people are doing. If there were a glowstick spinning group on the street offering free lessons, I don’t know that a large percentage of people would want to take advantage of the offer.

When I was dating a footbag player we went to tournaments and stuff together. See, the thing about having a footbag girlfriend who’s actually into it, is that she probably won’t be crowding you. She’ll be off in some circle somewhere or watching other people shredding.

jon · Post by **jon** » 08 Oct 2004 12:40

good topic although it has all been talked about so many times before

as for every guy dreaming for a gf that plays footbag, its just not that case, and although it would be nice I personally don’t care because there are so many more important things to consider and I am sure many people feel the same way

as for girls not liking to get sweaty that is very true, I know many girls that hate sweating in general and even more hate sweating in front of guys. They are fine going to their private girly gym and lifting small weights but heaven forbid a male sees them when they are not primped and primed. I also know many girls that have no hobbies or interests at all. Through my four years of living with new girls every year I have meet many many girls that have pretty much no interests in their lives, they do school and pretty much nothing else. Now I have male friends that are tools too but it seems like most have at least one hobby or interest to make their lives more interesting, it seems like guys are not content a lot of the time unless they have some task to do, where as a lot of the girls I know are content to do nothing and some even look forward to their lives as stay at home moms where they hope to do nothing but watch tv all day. It may seem like I am being down on girls but this is not the case, there are many amazing women athletes out there and woman that have interests, hobbies, ect and are willing to invest time into an activity but for the most part this is not the case. In general people are lazy and to expect these people to walk by hard core shredders and decide to stop, chat, and join in is expecting a lot. I believe it all boils down to intimidation and nerves when people decide to join in or not. Hell when I first started I didn’t want to kick with guys on campus because I thought they were too good, so what I did was to go off on my own or with friends and practice for a while before I introduced myself to real shredders for the first time. I cant imagine what it must be like for a girl in the same situation who might not have ever used her legs in any sort of sport before to come across a circle of sweaty guys busting and walk right up and join in. Like it has been said I think what its gonna take is more female shredders shredding before we get more girls into the sport. Now this is circular thinking and its silly to an extent but its true, and what it will take is time and more exposure by the females already in the game in order to get more girls into the sport.

Well that’s enough rambling for me. :p

mc · Post by mc » 08 Oct 2004 13:56

Moxie wrote:
It’s really nice to have reason to think that your type of people is smart and free-thinking, but everyone can give themselves reasons why their respective group is great. I know people who are boring who are into footbag. If I had met them before we had footbag in common, I probably never would have had reason to hang out with them again. Footbag is great because there is a lot of diversity (of types of minds). Just because you haven’t met or don’t pay attention to them, that doesn’t mean that bland people who like footbag don’t exist.

hm. You must not have thought that through very far.

compare the footbag population to the average population. You haven't noticed a DRAMATIC difference in the percentage of worthwhile, intelligent, creative, free thinking people in the footbag community with the percentage in the average world?

sorry to generalize a little more than you'd like, but you've also put words in my mouth. I said "by and large, we're smart free-thinkers". That, of course, leaves plenty of room for a few closed-minded unintelligent people. I could list a few footbag players like that by name right now. Rest assured, I get just as tired of those kind of footbag players as I do of those kind of normal people.

Moxie wrote:
WORST IDEA EVER. This is not an elitest sport. judging people by looks is bad, etc etc.

find and quote for me the part in my post where I said we were judging by looks.

frankly, I think this part of your post and my post are saying the same thing. You say a huge percentage won't be interested in it, but we shouldn't give up on the ones who might. It's the ones who might that I'm talking about. The rare ones. The different ones. as for that last part, about how bad it is to decide what kind of people I want to introduce etc etc, I don't understand your logic. Regarding deciding who we do and don't want to attract, look at humans as a whole. If you think that group doesn't deserve some discretion... well, there's something else you probably didn't think through.

I'm not an elitist. I'm a truthist. and frankly, most humans aren't worth the time. There's enough special, beautiful, unique open minded people around to not have to deal with the rabble when you aren't forced.

this is ridiculously off topic.

my point is, I'll teach anyone who wants to play footbag how to play footbag. all I ask is that they show enthusiasm for the sport. Does it just happen to be that the kind of people who have it in them to show enthusiasm for something new and different that they don't understand also happen to be smart, intelligent, cool open-minded individuals? Maybe it's just a coincidence.

all I was trying to say was I don't want to waste my time on someone who's not into footbag, and that's most people, so I'm not going to worry about most people. Just the special people who have it in them to put the time and effort and self into the sport to make it a part of their lives. There's nothing elitist about that.

this is what I get for writing a long, rambling post early in the morning. I knew, as soon as I was done, that the point of it was so convoluted that someone was going to misunderstand it. There you go.

I still refuse to worry about Johnny Average's involvement in my sport. He hasn't been raised to care, and I'm not about to try to shake that off when I have a whole circle of relatively inexperienced and entirely enthusiastic freestylers already.

lightningbolt · Post by **lightningbolt** » 08 Oct 2004 15:40

what attracted you to it

1. It looked fun
2. Not alot of other people did it
3. Okay, this one isn't going to help the cause but a cute circle kicker played that i wanted to get know.

what kept you attracted

I don't know. IT'S FUN! The fact that it was hard. That I had to work on it and I had nothing els to do.

what do you think we could do to make it more attractive to the kind of smart, creative, energetic women that we want to join us?

If you see a women (or anybody for that matter) really watching you, invite them to play. Most women are shy and are unlikely to go up to a group of guys who are busting hard and ask if they can try. I know I couldn't go do that.

Also, I think it's best if you guys keep your shirts on. It will be so much harder to go up to topless guys and ask to play.

As far af Ashley list is concerned. That was like a list of why women didn't play back in the '50s. Most women I know just arn't like that anymore.

Finally, give it time. Women will come to the sport in time. Hockey been around for 200 years and finally women a starting to play.